The Armor of God

Drama Workshop

Lesson Objectives:

Children will understand that we are in a spiritual battle of good vs. evil.Children will also understand that just like the pieces of physical armor work together to protect the wearer, the pieces of our spiritual armor work together to protect the Christian. Children will verbalize the passage, and those who choose to memorize it may earn a prize from the memory room.

Set up video camera on tripod.

Supplies:

• Question Ball
• TV
• Bibleman video clip on DVD
• Video Camera and tripod (Cords to allow viewing on the TV would be best.)
• Pieces of protective gear (Hockey and/or football gear is great. Mix it up though so it is not all one sport but an eclectic collection of protective gear.)
• Armor of God pieces (Poster or plastic pieces)
• Bibles (one per student)
• Paper and pencils (optional)

Lesson Plan

Opening:

Introduce yourself to children as they enter. Using the “Question Ball,” spend about 5 minutes “getting to know” the kids to allow time for those who are coming in late.

Show the kids some different kinds of protective wear. Raincoat, football jersey, shoulder pads, soccer shoes and shin guard. Point out several individual pieces. Discuss how each piece might protect the wearer.

You are really smart! This knowledge will come in handy over the next few months. This year our overall theme for Kingdom Adventures is the Armor of God. You have all volunteered in God’s army! Thank you! As your new Drill Saergent, it is my pleasure to get your training started. Do any of you have war experience? (Kids will probably say No the first week, but may say yes in later weeks.)

Editor's Note:  Some in your church may be uncomfortable with the "war" and "army" imagery that comes straight from Paul, and is familiar in some traditions. As well, some traditions de-emphasize Satan as an entity, preferring to teach about "evil".  

Discuss it with your leaders and consult with your pastor. 

Alternately, you might call it BATTLE, or STRUGGLE to RESIST EVIL and DO GOOD. 

We need to get you trained and into battle as soon as possible. Because you are new recruits, it might be helpful for you to know that you are joining the most powerful army in the world! You have NOTHING to worry about. First, let’s talk about our defenses. We have looked at some protective items already. In the army however, all of this stuff is pretty much useless. We will be using the Armor of God. Watch this clip and repeat with me as one of our soldiers puts on his armor.

Dig:

[Make sure the children can all see the TV screen. Watch the 1 min. clip from Bibleman to show the sequence of Bibleman putting on the amour of God. Encourage the children to repeat aloud each item.]

We will be learning this passage this month. All of you who choose to memorize it can get a prize from the memory room. Let’s read it from the Bible. [Ask for a volunteer, but be prepared to read it yourself.]

Read Ephesians 6:10-18.

Did you notice the passage tells us what kind of battles we will be facing? What kind of battles? (Spiritual, not against flesh and blood.) We are not told to fight against our neighbor! Turn to your neighbor and say, “I’m not fighting against you!”

But we do have an enemy! We have an enemy who wants to steal away everything God wants us to have. Only it’s not a battle we can see. Our enemy is Satan - and Satan lives in the invisible world of the spirit. Even though we can’t see him, Satan is very real. And he wants nothing more than to take us away from God.

And Satan is sneaky. He will use every trick to get us to turn away from God.

What are some spiritual battles kids your age face today? Let’s brainstorm some of the spiritual battles someone might face today. (Tempted to disobey parents, getting angry and fighting at school, feeling like no one loves them, etc.) [If kids cannot think of anything, prompt kids to think of last year’s lessons about the Fruit of the Spirit – and the opposite of the Fruit. When they are tempted to do the opposite – that is a spiritual battle. Try to keep things general here, as we will be discussing their personal battles later.]

As an AWESOME SOLDIER of God, You don’t have to be afraid of Satan - but you have to be ready to fight him! And so, like a great warrior, you need to put on your armor. And because your enemy is a spirit, God has given you spiritual armor.

So put on the whole Armor of God!
[Show armor of God, discuss each piece and how it protects in Spiritual battles.]

Belt of Truth – Where does a belt go? (Around your waist) What does it do? (Hold up your pants – in armor, it holds your weapons) What is truth? (Allow some discussion.) God is real. God loves you, and Jesus died for your sins. God is on your side - that is the Truth! Hold on to the truth, and like a good tight belt, the truth will hold you up and keep you strong when Satan attacks. It will be the thing to which you can anchor all your weapons.

Breastplate of Righteousness- Where does the Breastplate go? (On your chest) It guards your heart. Putting on the Breastplate of Righteousness means doing what is right and good. That way, Satan won’t have anything to grab onto to worm his way into your heart. You will be able to stand straight and tall, with your head held high.

Gospel of Peace (on your feet) - If you are wearing peace, will you be fighting with your neighbor? (No) If you are wearing peace, will you pick fights with your parents or your teachers? (No) If you are NOT wearing peace, and you ARE fighting with someone, can you tell them the Gospel, the Good News of Christ? (No) So when you wear the Gospel of peace on your feet, you are able to go anywhere God sends you to spread the Gospel.

Shield of Faith – What does our passage say the shield does for us? (Allows us to extinguish the flaming arrows of Satan.) When Satan causes bad things to happen to us or around us, our faith keeps us from being harmed spiritually.

Helmet of Salvation – What does the helmet protect? (your head) When you KNOW you are saved, Satan’s schemes don’t hurt as much. If you were going to war and you knew without a doubt that your side would win, would it be easy to go into battle? (yes) Why? (Allow some discussion) Your helmet of salvation protects your thoughts – we can KNOW we will win over Satan in the end because we can be sure of our salvation.

Sword of the Spirit – God has given us a weapon to fight back against Satan’s lies and accusations. What is our weapon? (God’s Word, the Bible.) God’s Word can cut Satan’s lies to pieces. Use God’s Word to fight Satan just like Jesus did when Satan tempted him in the desert. The words of the Bible are your sword.

Now that we know what this armor is used for, let’s use this knowledge to pretend we are making a commercial to sell this armor to other soldiers. What advertising words do you know that could be used to describe this gear and how it works? [Brainstorm ideas for superlatives that they have heard used in commercials: New, Save, Safety, Proven, Love, Discover, Guarantee, Health, Results, You, Awesome, Huge, Saving, Super, Deluxe, Awesome, Heavy-Duty, etc.]

Video Activity: 

Divide the kids into small groups, giving a piece of armor to each group. Each of our groups is going to come up with a commercial for their armor piece.

Your commercial should answer one or more of these questions:
Who can use it?
What is it? Use lots of exciting words like the ones we listed just now!
When can it be used?

How much does it cost? 

What would happen if you didn't have it?
Where can we get it?
Why would we want it?
How does it work? Demonstrate it, or tell it!

I will give you a few minutes to decide what to say. It needs to be less than a minute long. 30 seconds is best! [Give them a few minutes to decide on a 20-30 second commercial for it. They can include a demonstration of how it works or some words about its deluxe features and how it will save you in battle.] 

Commerical Suggestions: 

One of the Commercials can be about "the cost" of God's Armor:

What is the PRICE for getting God's Armor?  What must we GIVE UP to WIN PEACE, to INCREASE FAITH, to WALK STRONG WITH THE LORD?  Come up a with a list. 

We must give up selfishness, pride, impulses to do harm, being unloving, unforgiving. We must give up thinking we are better than others. We must give up thinking we don't need God's help.  Kids can walk by the camera pretending to be each of these things. 

Another Commercial can be about all the things the armor protects us from. A student on camera wears the armor, while off camera, various things that have been labeled, are thrown at the person wearing the armor, or stuck out at them on a spear. Or, actors can walk by the soldier and hurl an insult/lie at them, to which the soldier reacts by holding up their shield while the narrator responses.   

God's Armor protects you from feeling worthless.  When someone walks by you and says, "You're a worm" (said the passerby). Don't believe it!  The shield of truth tells you "God loves you "

[See modifications section!]

[Remind the kids to use excited voices and humor as they do in commercials. Walk around the groups helping as needed.]

[Keep an eye on time! Allow plenty of time (2-3 minutes for each group) for each group to present their commercial of their product. Video the commercials.]

[After video recording all the commercials, play them back for the group if possible.]

Reflection:

We have had some fun today discussing the Armor of God. Tell me again, why do we need it? (To fight Satan, spiritual battles.) How do we get this armor? (From God, his word, his spirit!)

Someone read Ephesians 6:18 again.

We wrap all this armor in prayer. Since it is part of our protection, let’s close in prayer.

End with Prayer inviting each student to thank God for one piece of armor, and ask for God's help to always remember to wear it.

Modifications for Younger Soldiers: 

Help each group get started by introducing their product with a typical voice over. and have them ACT OUT the lines in the commercial. Have some teens helping you. 

“Are you tired of…, 

Not knowing the right thing to say?

Do you feel the slings and arrows of mean people attacking your heart?
Does your walk with God make your feet hurt?

Well have we got the product for you!” The kids take it from there. Let the kids describe or demonstrate their product and how it is going to save them. You can make up a little intro for each piece of gear in your armor.

Modifications for Older Soldiers: Assign someone to introduce the product. You may also hand out your prepared voice-over introductions and let the kids read it or they can make up their own.

References:

http://www.kirkofkildaire.org/...ostlesPlayhouse.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEKwrI5MYIM Bible man full armor sequence
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...ksBg&feature=related  VBS Video-Take Your Stand
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWxeaikIY9s Go Fish Video - Armor of God

A Commercial Script example:
(Speakers take turns, changing with each line)

1. Do you have trouble with armor that doesn’t do the job? Does the typical armor just not work for you? Is it too heavy? Too awkward? Too big? (add your own ideas) Too _________________________?

2. Well, we have a solution for you!

3. It’s God’s armor. That’s right, the armor of God!

4. God’s (Armor piece) can _____________________________________________________________.

5. God’s armor is (use some descriptive words to describe what it is for) _____________________________________________________________.

6. So, next time you get into trouble with (name some kind of trouble or challenge you might get into) _____________________________________.

7. Remember: Rely on God’s armor and get it today at _______________________.

8. God’s armor is always ready and available wherever you go!

A lesson by Staci Woodruff from: Jenks Church of Christ

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